The dungeon smelled of damp stone and old blood.
Cold air clung to the walls like invisible fingers, crawling across Zenith's skin as he stepped deeper into the cavern. Each footstep echoed, not because the dungeon was empty—but because it was alive, breathing, waiting.
Zenith swallowed.
He tightened his grip around the wooden handle of the torch he carried. His hands trembled, not from the cold, but from fear he had learned to swallow every single day.
"Oi, Zenith! Don't lag behind."
The sharp voice came from ahead. Garron, the swordsman, stood tall with his iron blade resting on his shoulder. His armor gleamed faintly in the torchlight—clean, expensive, and proof of someone who actually belonged here.
Beside Garron walked Lyra, a lady magician draped in deep blue robes embroidered with silver runes. Her staff floated slightly above the ground, magic pulsing faintly at its tip.
Zenith was nothing like them.
He wore cheap leather armor—patched and torn. His sword hung at his waist, but he could barely lift it properly. He can't do magics.
He was a helper.
A burden.
"Sorry," Zenith hurrying forward. "I was just—"
"Just what?" Lyra sneered, glancing back.
"Thinking again? Didn't I tell you not to do that? You might hurt yourself."
Garron laughed loudly. "Yeah, Zenith. Thinking is for people with brains—or skills."
Their laughter echoed through the dungeon like knives.
Zenith lowered his head.
This was his life.
The party Nova, a C-rank adventuring group, had taken him in not out of kindness, but convenience. He carried bags. Held torches. Drew maps. Cooked meals. He cleaned blood from armor and stood behind them during battles, praying he wouldn't be noticed.
Because if monsters noticed him—
He would die.
"You're lucky we even brought you, someone like you should be sweeping floors in the guild, not walking into a dungeon."
Zenith forced a smile. "Y-Yes. I know."
The dungeon corridor widened, opening into a large cavern. Broken webs clung to the ceiling like pale scars. The air suddenly grew thick—heavy with danger.
Lyra stopped.
"Wait."
Her eyes narrowed. She raised her staff, whispering an incantation. Mana rippled outward.
Then—
A sound.
Skreeeeeech.
The walls shook.
Zenith's heart nearly stopped.
From the shadows, massive legs descended—eight of them. Each one thicker than a tree trunk, covered in black chitin that glistened with venom.
A giant spider emerged, its crimson eyes glowing with hunger.
An A-rank monster.
"Impossible!" Garron shouted. "This dungeon is only supposed to have D-rank goblins and monsters!"
The spider screeched again, mandibles dripping poison as it advanced.
Lyra's face went pale.
"We can't fight this," she whispered. "We'll die."
Zenith backed away instinctively. "W-What do we do?"
Garron's eyes flickered—to Zenith.
A smile slowly spread across his face.
A cruel one.
"Simple we survive, we will escape by making Zenith a sapling ."
Lyra understood instantly.
"No…" Zenith muttered, sensing something terribly wrong.
Before he could react, Lyra raised her staff.
"Bind—Paralysis Chain!"
Magic shot forward—not at the spider.
At Zenith.
"AH—!"
Chains of glowing blue mana wrapped around his legs. Pain exploded through his body as his muscles locked, nerves screaming.
Zenith collapsed to the ground.
"W-Why…?" he gasped. "Please… stop…!"
Garron grabbed Lyra's arm. "Now!"
The two of them ran.
"WAIT!" Zenith screamed. "Don't leave me! Please! I'll do anything! I'll work harder! I won't complain! Please—!"
They didn't even look back.
Their footsteps faded.
The spider turned its gaze toward Zenith.
Those red eyes burned into his soul.
Tears streamed down Zenith's face.
" So… this is how it ends," he whispered.
He had no magic.
No sword skill.
No talent.
Not even allies.
The spider lunged.
Zenith closed his eyes.
And then—
A roar shook the dungeon.
Not the shrill cry of a monster.
But a dragon's roar.
Heat flooded the cavern. The air ignited. Flames burst forth like a living storm.
Zenith opened his eyes just in time to see a small, red figure dart through the air.
A dragon.
Tiny—but overwhelming.
Its scales shone like molten ruby. Its golden eyes burned with ancient authority.
The spider didn't even have time to scream.
"Flame of Origin."
One breath.
One strike.
The spider was erased—reduced to ash in an instant.
Silence fell.
Zenith lay frozen, staring at the impossible being before him.
"A… a dragon?"
His heart pounded.
Red scales. Fire magic. Overwhelming presence.
"…Salamander."
The name escaped his lips in a whisper.
The Strongest Fire Dragon.
The little dragon turned toward him, tilting her head.
"So you know me,"
Zenith's eyes widened.
"It speaks…?"
The paralysis faded. Zenith forced himself up, legs shaking. He bowed deeply, forehead touching the stone floor.
"Th-Thank you," he said. "Thank you for saving my life."
The dragon studied him silently.
"…Why were you here?"
Zenith hesitated, then spoke honestly.
"I have no skills. No magic. No sword talent. But I still wanted to be useful. So I joined a C-rank party… as a helper."
His voice trembled.
"They hated me. But I thought… if I endured… maybe someday…"
The dragon's eyes glowed softly.
"Interesting."
Dragon raised a claw.
"Appraisal."
Golden light washed over Zenith.
Name: Zenith Boult
Magic Power Level: E
Combat Skill Level: E
Intelligence: S+
The dragon blinked.
Once.
Twice.
"…S+ Intelligence," dragon murmured.
laughed—soft, beautiful, and filled with wonder.
"How rare,"
He actually have magic powers but little bit.
Light enveloped her form.
Flames swirled—not destructively, but gently.
When the fire faded, a woman stood before Zenith.
She had long crimson hair like flowing fire, golden eyes, and beauty that stole breath itself. Her presence was overwhelming, yet warm.
Zenith froze.
"Y-You're…?"
"Salamander,"
She stepped closer.
"I am tired of this world, of power, pride, and cruelty. But you… you are different. Actually you have magic power but it's little now, you can awake your power by my help."
Zenith's look at Salamander.
"I… I don't understand… really?... I have magic powers?.!"
She reached out, placing her hand over his heart.
"Yes, you actually have magic powers, Let's make a contract between you and me, so that we can live together. "
" what? A contract? "
"Yea, a human and dragon can't live together without making a contract "
Zenith had doubts
Why Salamander want to live with me?
Zenith look at Salamander
" Why do you want to live with me? "
" Oh, nice question, it because you're very kind and intelligent,and besides I want to explore the world well "
"Okay well, Is there any benefit to me in this?"
The Salamander smile a little
" Benefit? I told you first that you can awake your magic powers by my help and if you make a contract with me I will become your wife, so you can touch me anywhere whatever you want. This benefits is not enough? "
"Whatt...? Wife..? I can touchhh... you..? "
Zenith fainted.